Hosie - Hogwarts Au (Harry Potter / Legacies)

Chapter 54

The train station is already crowded when Hope steps off the Hogwarts Express, packed with parents waiting for their children. She finds her own parents standing together at the front of the crowd, looking around impatiently.

“Your parents said it was okay, right?” Rose babbles on next to her, like she has been for the last five minutes. “I’m not intruding at all or anything? I mean, you made sure with them that—“

“Trust me,” Hope says, a little bitterly. Her father made it more than clear that he wanted Rose to stay with them. At least he finally stopped trying to set them up. “They’re fine with it.”

Klaus narrows his eyes when he sees the two, beckoning them over with a stoic nod of his head. Hope can’t quite interpet the expression on his face.

Her mother is even harder to read. She has her arms crossed over her chest, teeth worrying her bottom lip. Hope can barely glance in her direction. The memory of last night still haunts her, still makes her stomach clench.

You’re sixteen. You don’t know what love is.

She shares a quiet look with Rose as they reach her parents, both girls dragging their dorm trunks behind them.

“Hello, darling,” Klaus drawls, almost amused. His lips twitch dangerously. “You kept us waiting so long I was afraid you weren’t coming at all.”

Hope swallows hard, dipping her head down to hide the way her throat bobs. “Sorry.”

She forces her hands to stay still and ignores the urge to rub nervously at her neck, even as her skin itches with want. The marks Josie left earlier are long gone, hidden by a glamour spell Rose helped her with just before they got off the train.

“Miss Nicot,” the man greets, turning his attention to her friend instead. “How are you?”

“Well,” Rose tells him politely. “Thank you for letting me stay with you and your family.”

“Of course.” Klaus smirks. It’s kind of cold, the way he does it. “I’m sure you’re familiar with side-along apparition?”

“Yes, sir,” she says, glancing at Hope hesitantly. The pureblood avoids her eyes, afraid it will betray her. “I’ve done it a few times.”

Klaus looks between them, searching for something Hope can’t place. Whatever it is, he must not find it. “Good.”

Her father gives them a pleased smile before leading them out of the train station. It’s only when he turns his back that Hope can finally let out the breath she’d been holding all this time.

Her relief is short-lived.

Klaus brings them to a stop behind the dark, hidden alley just outside the terminal. His eyes dart around warily before they land on his daughter.

“Hope, you’ll come with me,” he mutters, pulling them off to the side. “Your friend can apparate with your mother. We’ll meet you both at the manor...”